Cardfight Academy: Chase the Light
by Ray of Speed
Summary: Not too far in the future... with no other avenues open, three teenagers come to a famous academy called "PSY", chasing the light that eludes their grasp. The story of friends' school days... or it would be, but things seem suspicious. Most importantly, what is the meaning of the "PSY System" that haunts those around them?
1. Chapter 1: All Aboard

The sun was shining, the birds were singing, the water lapped gently at the dock, and all Jack Smith could think about was how much he hated the notion of spending three days on a boat. Even a cruise ship like the Academy fliers had bragged about wasn't doing much to raise his spirits. Just great. He glanced out the corner of his eye, looking at his Augmented Reality relay. Bunch of messages from his fanclub, mostly expressing sadness that they weren't coming with him or wishes to follow him. He sighed and shooed them away with the flat of his hand. Writing replies could wait until later.

When had that even started? The whole AR thing. Before he was born, certainly, but not much before then. So maybe... he was fifteen, so maybe sixteen years ago. For Jack, it had been a constant in his life, as natural as breathing, but for those even a few years older than him, that wasn't the case. Adults especially often stumbled with the technology.

Jack was a tall guy for his age, firmly built, with short black hair, blue eyes, and an easy smile. For as long as he could escape the confines of a uniform, he wore black leather pants and vest over a white overshirt, all hanging neatly on his frame. Then there was the belt – with considerably more clips and hangings-on than it needed, not to mention the holster for his Vanguard deck. In reality, the belt was not even remotely for keeping his pants up; it was just a convenient place to wear the AR Sheathe when it wasn't in use. Nobody played Vanguard with physical cards anymore – certainly, it was distributed in that fashion, but games were played by loading the deck into an AR Sheathe and carrying it out over the local AR. On the plus side, this completely eliminated sleights of hand and other such tricks, plus it allowed everyone in the vicinity to spectate with ease.

Well, the flier hadn't been joking about the cruise ship. The thing completely dwarfed the other vessels in the harbor, painted garishly with prominent Vanguard units; Jack could make out his own ace card at the forefront of the pack. That made him smile, just a little, as he joined the crowd thronging to board.

* * *

The problem with a queue, of course, is that it's _boring_. Half the hopeful students had already glazed over and begun fiddling around, browsing the net in midair or playing games quietly. Jack's gaze didn't waver from the boat. That was the goal and if he had to stand here and sweat in the sun then so be it. Something would definitely go wrong at the last second if he wasn't paying attention. With that in mind, he'd determined to keep his attention up for as long as possible. Obviously, this couldn't last. Within twenty minutes he was distracted by the commotion going on in front of him: a mousy brown-haired girl with cute glasses wandering up and down the line, examining every guy she saw and giving them a pass-over. There was a question, too, but most of them looked either confused or annoyed that she was addressing them.

Then she finally made her way over to Jack, walking in a slow circle around him. He guessed that she was possibly a year younger than him, although she was quite short and thin so it looked a lot younger. "Nice outfit." he told her, deadpan; she wore red bike shorts under what looked an oversized Japanese men's school jacket – what was the word for... _gakuran_, that's it. Why did he know that? Oh, right. _Thank you, Christie._ He glanced at his list of admirers. That one would be getting a reply. The thought was shaken away as the girl in front of him opened her mouth.

"You like it? Sally is cosplaying -"

Jack cut her off. "Utena, from _Revolutionary Girl Utena_." _Thank you, Christie!_

She looked utterly taken aback that he recognised it. "Uh, yeah. You must have a girlfriend."

"Not exactly..." he shook his head. "Your name is... Sally?"

The girl nodded. "Sally plays Dimensional Police centered around Daiyusha. Your name?"

"It's Jack..." he trails off as she starts running her mouth again.

"Ooh, Jack? Jack is a good name! Sally likes that. Are you the protagonist?"

What. The question blew his mind so thoroughly that he nearly fell over. _That's_ what she'd been asking as she was going down the line? No wonder everyone looked so irked by it.

"The, uh, protagonist?" He must have said something wrong, because Sally started pouting at him like a little lost duck.

"Probably not, then..."

Jack didn't even have a response to that. He pushed his hand against his face, wondering what exactly he'd got into by striking up a conversation with the weird girl. This definitely wasn't going to do him any favors in the area resembling popularity. She didn't move on from him, though.

"Hey, you didn't tell Sally what deck you play." Sally prompted him.

"Well, I play..." Jack winced and cut off as the ship's signal horn blared and the line started moving. "I'll tell you later, okay?"

* * *

Certainly, nobody had been joking about the cruise ship. Jack had seen less pretentious parties at actual parties; even discounting the pool on the deck, the ship's mess hall was basically a floating buffet. And it was all free, too. PSY Academy _really_ wanted its target families to know how much money they had to throw around, it seems... and it must have been working; he'd already seen several people excitedly calling their families and thanking them. At least there was no need for that on his end. He slouched at one of the tables, quietly working on a chocolate mousse and putting his thoughts in order.

Electing to attend at PSY had been a case of finding a way to blow several years of his life without committing to anything much. School was always boring, of course, but Jack quite enjoyed the card game, especially since he didn't find it particularly mentally taxing, and he had blown through the entrance exams, including the practicals, with relative ease. As with most sixteen year-olds, he had only the barest glimmer of a thought of what he wanted to do with his life, other than that he didn't want to sit through a more practical course and he definitely didn't want a job working manual labor or customer service in his corner of the city. The thought made him smile. What a symptom of the world: a midlife crisis at age sixteen.

"Hey, can I sit here?"

Jack looked up at the gentle voice, blinked at the girl he saw. She must have been his age, and everything about her screamed princess – long, bushy, silky black hair, vibrantly blue eyes, and elegantly-refined features. Then his eyes hit her outfit and his brain nearly turned inside out. As with him, she preferred the smart-casual type – white slacks and allegedly-sleeveless overshirt, plus a loosely-worn black tie – but then there was her _coat_, a classic old naval trenchcoat that reached her ankles... but with the sleeves removed, leaving her arms bare, and an equally-naval cap, worn at a jaunty angle that shaded her tanned features.

She didn't wait for him to respond, instead shaking off her coat so that he could see the jolly roger emblazoned across the back and spreading it across the back of the chair opposite him, then dropping into it, leaving her cap beside the table. "Thanks."  
Jack raised an eyebrow at her and continued with his mousse, wondering if she'd introduce herself or say anything worth hearing. After a moment, though, the girl did continue, as if thoughtfully: "You looked kind of alone over here so I thought I'd come and cheer you up."

He swallowed slowly. "Thank you. I'm okay, though. Just thinking."

"Ah. Well, this is awkward." she chuckled. Her voice was soft and dusky, like smoke on the water. Jack waved a hand.

"Don't be, it's fine." he assured her. "I missed your name...?"

The pretty girl leaned back in her seat, playing with her hair. "It's Laura. Laura Wagner. And you?"

"Jack Smith. I have a boring name." Jack admitted, fiddling with his cup. "Laura... hm."

Laura raised an eyebrow at him. "Is that a problem?"

"Ah, no." he laughed, raising his hands defensively. "It's just a pretty name, and a powerful one."

"Pretty and powerful?" she asked, blushing a little. Jack folded his arms on top of the table, nodding.

"It comes from the late Latin Saint of the same name, and that name is itself derived from _laurus_, or laurel tree, but most commonly _L. nobilis_, the bay laurel. To the ancient Greeks, the bay laurel wreath was a symbol of wealth and status; to the Romans, victory. In Christianity, it symbolizes the resurrection of Christ." he explained himself and went back to working his way through his mousse.

"You're very well read."

"I'm a sixteen year old going away to study card games for three years..." Jack smiled softly. "If I had better things to do with my time than memorize random trivia I'd be doing something more useful with myself.."

The blase way he said it made her wrinkle her nose. "You think this is a waste of time?"  
Sensing that he'd got on her nerves, Jack chose to retreat slightly from that line of conversation. "Well, if I thought it was a waste of time, I wouldn't be here at all." He put his now-empty cup of mousse aside and stood up. "It seems to me like it would be a waste to not take the opportunity to go and soak up some sun by the pool. Join me?" he threw in a flirting wink, making her laugh softly.

"Wow, that was fast."

Jack's smile grew. "That doesn't sound like a no."

Laura let out a breath and stood, collecting her cap. "Alright, alright, I'll meet you out there, as a reward for your straightforwardness." she shook her head, still laughing softly. Jack's smile turned to a grin.

"If you want something you should be upfront about it, right?"

"Well, I'm not sure that applies if it's to get a girl you just met into her swimsuit, but..." she trailed off; Jack was already walking away with a wave over his shoulder.

* * *

"Wow, you must be like the buffest cardfighter I've ever seen." Laura told Jack teasingly – they had indeed met on the somewhat crowded deck, where Jack was trying to ignore the crowd of admirers his swim trunk-clad self had attracted as he worked on sunscreen. Sure enough, he was quite fit and reasonably muscled, although it seemed like he'd kept himself toned rather than trying to bulk up.

"Well, I'm reasonably fond of the notion of staying in shape and not getting too sick, so there's that. Shall I help you along?" he asked, raising the bottle of sunblock he'd been using. Laura laughed, putting her hands on her hips. The one-piece swimsuit looked suspiciously like it was a school swimsuit, blue and all, and fitting very well indeed at that.

"Nice try, but I already got the 'slop' part down when I was getting changed."

Jack shrugged. "Hey, it was worth a shot." A few of the girls hovering around the pool looked like they'd be fairly eager, but Jack didn't have eyes for them. Unfortunately, events chose that exact time to go to hell – there was a shout from the other end of the deck and the pair turned to look.

In hindsight, going over her cards by the pool had been a mistake, but the idea of looking over her deck on the deck had appealed to Sally so much that she couldn't quite resist. Unfortunately, while her skimpy two-piece swimsuit bikini didn't do a lot to attract attention with her flat frame (Sally had got one with ruffles and everything!), her deck, centered on her Nation Leader, had done _plenty_ to get attention from all the wrong people... like this guy, Jason, who felt like he was twice her height and was easily twice her width. Tall, buff guy, short hair, shorts and a sweatshirt... must be a football jock of some type. Unfortunately, well, he'd demanded her deck, and when she'd refused and started gathering it up, he'd grabbed her to get at them... the shout across the deck had been her yelp of pain as his rough grip bruised her soft skin.

On the positive side, it was that shout that had brought Jack and Laura to her aid, with Laura looking incredibly disapproving and Jack mostly amused.

"Man, you sure know how to pick up a woman." sure enough, Sally's feet were dangling nearly a foot from the deck. Jason made a noise that may have been embarrassment and let her down, careful not to drop her – which was fortunate, because Laura was lining up to give him a black eye. Sally hurriedly scampered over to them, hiding behind Jack with a whimper.

"He still has Sally's cards..."

Laura's eyes narrow. "Give them back, musclehead."

Jason raises his big hands, smiling and shaking his head. "Unless you think you can take them..."

That makes them stop. Laura could have probably knocked him over while he was distracted, but now his attention is on them, and Jack doesn't seem inclined to fight. He glanced back at Sally, clinging to his arm, and raised a hand to pat her hair down gently. "Don't worry."

"Is that a yes?" Jason challenged him.

Jack turned and starts to walk away from him, closer towards the pool, since his effects lay at the edge. "It's true that neither of us could defeat you in a physical fight. You played football at your old school, right? Well, where we're going, all that will matter will be your cardfighting skills." he picked up his belt, flicking it around his arm with a practiced motion so that the AR Sheathe attached was held on the back of his wrist. "That being the case, why don't we settle this with one?"

Jason considered this, and finally reached down to his belt, tapping the AR Sheathe there. "That's fair. Although, you have nothing to lose here. That being the case... if you lose, I'll be taking your deck, too."

"That's fine." Jack smirked, getting a quiet gasp out of Sally, but he pressed on. "If it's the same for you, of course."

"The same for me...?"

Jack nodded. "If you're willing to part with your deck when you lose."

Jason paused for a long time, clearly thinking hard about it, but he finally swallowed, gathered his resolve, and nodded. "Since I pushed those terms on you, I can't complain."

They ended up facing each other from opposite sides of the pool. Not that setting up the game was any problem – they'd been automatically patched into the ship's area network the minute they'd come within range, and that simply meant that the game was visible to anyone who didn't choose to filter it out. Most of the kids in the pool had cleared out, although a few remained, either splashing about beneath the battlefield or ignoring it entirely.

The biggest advantage to using augmented reality is that it didn't have to actually exist. The graphics were rendered purely in-brain; that they held a fixed position was simply an illusion. Still, they were certainly impressive; you could almost swear that the huge billboard advertising their fight and their faces was actually there... and then it dissolved down, culminating in five cards floating in the air to their sides – their starting hands.

* * *

In the shade beneath the overhang from the dining hall, two women lay ensconced in one deck chair. They were far enough back from the pool to not attract much attention, and anyone who _did_ look their way was quickly sent scurrying by the intense golden gaze of the dark-haired half of the pair. When the game began, though, she stiffened a little, and her partner yawned and uncurled from her side a little, looking up into her face through sleepy green eyes. "What's up?" she glanced back over her shoulder. "Oh, a game."

"I suppose it still catches my attention even though I moved on to playing Weiss Schwarz full time." The dark-haired lady stroked her friend's auburn hair down gently. "Am I making you jealous?"

"Not really. I still remember the first game we had." she shut her eyes, as if reciting it from memory.

"Imagine it... that the two of us have appeared on a fantastic planet, Cray, Earth's mirror image. But, we are weak creatures, astral projections without any real strength. To that end, we are given two abilities: 'Call', the ability to summon the creatures in this world, Units, to our aid – the cards in our hand are the Units we can Call. Those Units have their own summoning costs and their own unique abilities. And then there's the second ability... to transpose ourselves onto a Unit of our choice, the ability to Ride into the battlefield. And, the Unit we use in this instance is called the Vanguard."

Her partner tapped her back gently, making the green-eyed woman wriggle in her lap. "I know, since you're quoting me."

Done wriggling, she laughed and leaned up to kiss the intense lady's cheek, then squirmed into her lap, laying back against her. "Good. Then, let's just watch and enjoy it, since these people are going to be our customers later on."

* * *

"Let's get started. I'm only returning one card." Jack informed Jason, raising his hand. The chosen HUD for the game was different for everyone. For spectators, it simply showed results, but for him, his cards hovered in midair in front of him, easily visible. Judging from the way Jason held a hand near to him, he must have had his as if the cards were physically in his hand.

"Two for me." the jock archetype replied, and there was a brief moment of silence as the AR system dealt them out new cards and chose who start. After a moment of the portraits hanging above them flickering, Jason's was lit, and Jack nodded. His hand was really quite convenient, since he'd only had to return a single Trigger – the winning shape, his image of victory, would come out easily, with any luck.

"After you. Stand Up, the Vanguard!"

"Stand Up."

There was a yelp and a laugh from the pool itself as the water seemed to swirl and their two creatures sparked to life on the surface of the water, sending the few people remaining in scattering away to the edges of the pool. Jack had chosen to start up with a handgun-wielding nun, Battle Sister Eclair, while Jason's card was, as anticipated, a demonic football player in spiked armor, crouched low over the water.

**[Battle Sister Eclair – 4000]**

**[Smart Leader, Dark Bringer - 5000]**

"Smart Leader, Dark Bringer..." Jack murmured. "That's like you, I suppose, since everyone's first thought was that you're a jock."

"Isn't it so that your deck should be a reflection of your personality?" Jason queried him. "I draw... and Ride, Commander Gary Ganon!" With a splash, his new monster hit the field – a tall pink-skinned demon with impossibly cool shades and an equally impossible trenchcoat, with a popped collar that did its level best to defy the laws of physics **[Commander Gary Ganon - 6000]**. "Also, Dark Bringer outrides." Jason added, shifting his starting Vanguard to the back and left of Gary Ganon. "That's it."

* * *

"Spike Brothers... that could be dangerous." Laura noted to Sally, watching from the edge of the pool and idly kicking her feet in the water. Sally, legs folded beside her, frowned.

"What's the problem?"

"Spike Brothers are based around swarming the field. Although Jack is playing Oracle Think Tank, which are all about drawing a heap of cards, so it might be equal..."

* * *

Jack glanced at them as they spoke and drew his card, considering. _That's certainly true, and I haven't played against Spike Brothers before, so I don't know what I'm in for. However..._ he thought, and turned his gaze on Jason, who raised an eyebrow at him, waiting patiently. _Something's wrong. He's under the pressure here as much as I am, but I can't sense anything resembling killer intent from him. His first play, too, was __reserved__. Further, he backed off from Sally almost instantly. What's going on here?_

Putting those thoughts aside for now, he touched one of the cards hovering around him. "I Ride Battle Sister Cocoa." Replacing one nun for another, this one with a crazy smile and far too many knives **[Battle Sister Cocoa - 6000]**, Jack outrode Eclair to the back-right circle, mirroring Jason's field – dragging the image of the card on the translucent field in front of his eyes. "When Cocoa hits the field, I get to check the top card of my deck and return it to either the top or bottom." Tapping Cocoa, the game system registered her skill and popped up his next card. "... I don't need this one." he murmured, sending it back to the bottom and selecting another card in his hand instead. "I call Sphere Magus."

In stark contrast to the crazy nun in his Vanguard circle, the Unit he'd called behind her was the quintessential magical girl, complete with cutesy staff and puffy clothes **[Sphere Magus – 3000 – Heal Trigger]**.

* * *

"Calling a Heal Trigger?" Sally queried.

Laura smirked faintly. "Watch. This is one of the few strengths Oracle Think Tank can claim to have that isn't Scarlet Witch Coco at this point."

* * *

No sense over-committing right now, with only one target and no huge swing to hand. "Sphere Magus boosts – and she boosts double – and Cocoa attacks the Vanguard." Jack declares, tapping his units in mid-air and turning the little glowing cards he favoured side-on. With the Magus raising her staff, Cocoa's power jumped up to 12000, enough to be a difficult block. **[(3000*2)+6000 = 12000]**

Jason considered his hand for a moment. "No Guard."

"Check the Drive Trigger..." Jack tapped over his deck icon, then ran his fingers across the card that seperated from it, spinning it once as it enlarged, making it visible to all:

**[Drive Check: Luck Bird – No Trigger]**

"No Trigger."

In the middle of the pool, Cocoa spread her robes, unleashing a barrage of knives that rained down on Gary Ganon, making him raise a hand to shield himself.

"Damage Check... damn." Jason muttered as his card came live.

**[Damage Check: Silence Joker – Critical Trigger]**

"... for what it's worth, I give the power to my Vanguard."

"Indeed." Jack's roving hand moved to Sphere Magus, as if he were conducting a symphony. "Sphere Magus returns to my deck and the deck is shuffled. Your turn."

* * *

"Ah, Sally gets it... if you get a Heal Trigger you can put it back in your deck." Sally nodded as if she had suddenly grasped the whole secret, making Laura smile and ruffle her hair.

"Something like that. That thought can also be a trap in and of itself, though."

* * *

"Certainly, being able to return your Heal Triggers to your deck is valuable." The brown-haired lady over in the shade smiled quietly. "But..."

"The question is whether you'll fall prey to the mental trap that line of thinking creates." her intense friend (or cushion, maybe) murmured, eyes narrowed over the former's shoulder.

* * *

**Jack  
Hand: 5  
Front Row: -/Battle Sister Cocoa/-  
Back Row: -/-/Battle Sister Eclair  
Damage: Empty**

**Jason  
Hand: 5  
Front Row: -/Commander Gary Ganon/-  
Back Row: -/-/Smart Leader, Dark Bringer  
Damage: Silence Joker**

Back on the field, things had begun to heat up with Jason's turn beginning. "I Ride Field Driller." As if done screwing around, Gary Ganon twisted into the cyborg form of the Grade 2 Field Driller – a green-skinned, one-horned demon pockmarked with mechanica, his hands overwritten by a pair of huge drills **[Field Driller - 7000]**. "He's weak, but he'll have to do." Jason admitted. "Next up, I'll push Dark Bringer forward into the front row, and call out Medical Manager."  
The Unit that flickered into existence behind Dark Bringer was the quintessential goblin, if one outfitted as a sports team manager and carrying a number of bottles that looked suspiciously like they contained Purple Drank **[Medical Manager - 7000]**. Jason carried on with his turn, hurriedly explaining: "When he hits the field, I get to Soul Charge a card." He raised a hand to click at the air and a card image flashed over the pool – **Cheerful Lynx**, a Draw Trigger. "Damnit... well, that being the case, I'll call a second Medical Manager behind my Vanguard and Soul Charge again..."

Proving that he had no luck at all, Jason managed to Soul Charge away a **Dudley Douglass**, a card he would have much preferred to have in his deck. He wrinkled his nose and settled for calling another Field Driller in his remaining front row slot. "Alright, now we attack. First things first, Medical Manager boosts, and Dark Bringer attacks your Vanguard." **[7000+5000 = 12000]**

Jack didn't bother to guard that one; he needed the damage anyway. "No Guard." he murmured, watching Dark Bringer line drive his held ball into Cocoa's chest, making her groan in pain. "And for damage..." he absently clicked at his deck and stared with dismay at the resultant Perfect Guard.

**[Damage Check: Battle Sister Chocolat]**

"God_ damnit_."

"Now you know how I feel." Jason grumbled. "Anyway, Dark Bringer's skill: when his attack hits, I move him to the Soul..." he dragged the card from point to point in the air. "... and I get to grab out a card from my hand." he selected one, taking an obvious breath to steady himself. "Devil Summoner, Superior Call!"

Beside his Vanguard, the water turned inky, swirled, and then exploded upwards, realising into the form of a tentacle-covered quarterback, face perpetually twisted into an eerie, bony grin **[Devil Summoner - 7000]**. "When he comes to the field, I get to check the top card of my deck, and if it's a Grade 1 or 2 Spike Brother, I get to Superior Call _that_..." Jason mutters, and checks. "... Panzer Gale, behind my other Field Driller!" With a crash and a splash, his new Unit arrived, head and shoulders above the others, a menacing ogre with a heavy, spiked helmet **[Panzer Gale - 8000]**. "Although he won't do much good back there... still. Alright, time to continue my attacks. This time I'll attack with the Rearguard Field Driller."

"No you won't." Jack plucked a card from the air, a rat-thing holding a pair of dice. "That attack is only 7000; I Guard it with Miracle Kid." Even as his little rat was shattered away under the force of Field Driller's drills, Cocoa refused to flinch, regaining her crazy smile. Jason hissed.

"Guarding already... fine. I attack with Devil Summoner, too." Another line drive, but Jack is ready for this one.

"Guard with Luck Bird..." Using up a Grade 1 in the process, he blocked that attack, too, leaving Jason's only recourse as his Vanguard. Jason twitched gently.

"I even got a fourth attack and you still blocked..."

"It's not really difficult given how my hand is. Please, carry on." Jack told him, shifting a little under the sun. Jason growled at him.

"Fine. Medical Manager boosts, and Field Driller attacks!" **[7000+7000 = 14000]**

Jack glanced at his hand. Strictly speaking, he could guard a 14000 swing, but it wouldn't be in his best interest to. _Maintaining hand advantage is the key in Vanguard... even if he spams the field, he can't overcome that_. "No Guard."

Field Driller lurched forwards, enunciating in hoarse groans – _Dig, dig, dig, diiiiig! - _as it splashed across the pool to Cocoa, driving its drills into the nun such that her clothes were ruined and she screamed in pain. Jason's hand rose. "Drive Trigger, check..."

**[Drive Check: Fierce Leader Zachary – No Trigger]**

"Damage..." Jack reached for his own.

**[Damage Check: Dark Cat – No Trigger]**

Another card he's desperately liked to have played. "Damnit. Nothing here, either."

"That being the case, with Field Driller's skill – since his attack hit and I have four Spike Brothers Rearguards, I draw a card - that's the end of my turn." Jason told him.

**Jack  
Hand: 3  
Front Row: -/Battle Sister Cocoa/-  
Back Row: -/-/Battle Sister Eclair  
Damage: Battle Sister Chocolate, Dark Cat**

**Jason  
Hand: 5  
Front Row: Field Driller/Field Driller/Devil Summoner  
Back Row: Panzer Gale/Medical Manager/Medical Manager  
Damage: Silence Joker**

Two damage to one isn't exactly unexpected when your opponent went first, so Jack wasn't very flustered... more importantly, something else was bothering him. Jason's demeanour, once again. _I don't get it. Honestly, why are you doing this? The way you play is gentle even though your deck is designed to crush your opponent._ He glanced over at Sally and Laura, quietly watching the game. _Cunning stunts indeed... geh. Now isn't the time to get distracted, Jack. The only way I'm going to get to the bottom of this is... _He drew his card and smirked nastily. _Pushing him until he cracks._

"I Ride Silent Tom." With his battle nun replaced by a slick-suited undead hitman, his field was newly set to go back on the attack **[Silent Tom - 8000]**. "Next up..." Jack's hand moved to his damage zone display, double-tapping one of his cards. "I use Battle Sister Eclair's skill. Counterblast, and she moves to Soul... in return, I get to check the top five cards of my deck, look for a Grade 3 OTT, and add one to my hand if I get one."

Five cards splayed out in the air before him and Jack slapped his hand across them, making them spin and reveal themselves. Only one got his attention, though: **CEO Amaterasu**, his deck's lynchpin. "Got one. I'll add Ammy to my hand, and the rest shuffle into my deck. Hey, do you know why I play Oracle Think Tank?" the question was an open one, but it's Jason who answered.

"Enlighten me."

Jack smirked. "That's because, no matter what I try and do otherwise, all the ladies just gather to me."

* * *

"Oh please." Laura snorted, reaching down to send a light spray of water in Jack's direction, although it fell miserably short. Sally glanced at her.

"Angry?"

Her companion leaned back on her hands, considering, and eventually smiled a little. "I guess it's pretty funny, if nothing else."

* * *

Jason, on the other hand, didn't look amused. "Are you finished?"

"I'm just getting started. I'll call a second **Silent Tom**, and back my Vanguard with another **Sphere Magus**." Jack continued, conjuring up two more Units out of the waters. "Sphere Magus boosts, and my Vanguard attacks yours." **[(3000*2)+8000 = 14000]**

With 14000 power coming out of his finger guns, Jason found himself staring down a swing that mirrored his own from the previous turn – and like in the previous turn, he wasn't going to spend the hand to block it.

"No Guard."

"Then, Drive Check..." Jack murmured.

**[Drive Check: Luck Bird – No Trigger]**

He sighed. "I don't even believe this."

"Hey, Jack, I thought all the _ladies_ gathered to your hand." Laura called out mockingly.

Jack glanced at her and gave her a jokingly-condescending bow. "Obviously, I'm picking up chicks." She groaned and gave up the attack, letting him get back to the game. "Now then. Your Damage Check?"

Jason nodded. "Let's see..." as the card came out, a green wave washed over the field.

**[Damage Check: Cheer Girl Tiara – Heal Trigger]**

"Heal Trigger, Cheer Girl Tiara! … but I can't use it, so I'll give the power to my Vanguard."

"Ow... you have my luck." Jack smiled wryly. Jason laughed gently.

"I know, right?"

_There it is again. That flash of softness. _Jack's eyes narrowed. "Well, anyway... my other Silent Tom will take out your other Field Driller." Almost a mirror match, Jason chose not to Guard this one, either, losing his Rearguard to Silent Tom's attack – of course, that would only give him the option to move Panzer Gale up.

"Sphere Magus returns to my deck, and that's it." Jack extended a hand. "Your turn."

**Jack  
Hand: 3  
Front Row: Silent Tom/Silent Tom/-  
Back Row: -/-/-  
Damage: Battle Sister Chocolat (F), Dark Cat**

**Jason  
Hand: 5  
Front Row: -/Field Driller/Devil Summoner  
Back Row: Panzer Gale/Medical Manager/Medical Manager  
Damage: Silence Joker, Cheer Girl Tiara**

"Stand and Draw..." Jason looked at his hand and winced. "I... don't Ride. I move Panzer Gale up to the front row."

"All that Superior Calling and Soul Charging and you still missed your Ride? Damn." Jack whistled lowly. Jason flinched.

"Shut up! Medical Manager boosts and Devil Summoner attacks your Vanguard!" **[7000+7000=14000]**

Jack barely deigns to acknowledge that as an attack. "No Guard."

**[Damage Check: Oracle Guardian Red-Eye – No Trigger]**

Seemingly still angry, Jason continued his assault. "Panzer Gale goes after your Rearguard Tom." With the huge Unit bearing down on his Rearguard, Jack almost considered letting it go through. Almost.

"It's only 8000. I guard with Luck Bird. _Again_." His bird may have been shattered away by Panzer Gale's punch, but his Silent Tom was left unharmed.

"Damnit..." Jason muttered. "Fine then, Medical Manager will boost and my Vanguard attacks yours once again." **[7000+7000 = 14000]**

"And, once again, No Guard." Leaving his Vanguard to suffer to the drilled hit, Jack awaited Jason's Drive Check.

**[Drive Check: Medical Manager – No Trigger]**

**[Damage Check: Battle Sister Chocolat – No Trigger]**

"Another Chocolat. It's a typical game of threes, I suppose." Jack noted, watching Jason come down from his brief rage.

"... once more, I get to draw for Field Driller's attack hitting, and then it's your turn."

**Jack  
Hand: 2  
Front Row: Silent Tom/Silent Tom/-  
Back Row: -/-/-  
Damage: Battle Sister Chocolat (F), Dark Cat, Oracle Guardian Red-Eye, Battle Sister Chocolat**

**Jason  
Hand: 6  
Front Row: Panzer Gale/Field Driller/Devil Summoner  
Back Row: -/Medical Manager/Medical Manager  
Damage: Silence Joker, Cheer Girl Tiara**

* * *

"Jack's at four damage... is he going to be okay?" Sally asked Laura, who considered.

"It's four damage to two. However, Jason missed his Ride, whereas Jack purposely moved Amaterasu to his hand with Eclair's Counterblast."

* * *

"More importantly, he'll be the first to reach Grade 3, even though his opponent started." The intense lady over in the shade noted to her cuddled-up friend, who smiled.

"That's a priceless opportunity. It'll give him an extreme amount of hand advantage, propped up further by the fact that he's playing the Clan who have the best hand advantage generation in the game... after your old Clan, anyway." the brunette responded, folding her arms across her waist. "Even with the damage he's suffered, he can turn it all around this turn."

* * *

"Stand and Draw." Jack picked one card, shutting his eyes. "The beautiful goddess, shining radiantly... I Ride my Clan Leader, CEO Amaterasu!" In a crash of spray and a dazzle of rainbow, the white-robed goddess appeared before him, dark hair blowing gently in the sea breeze **[CEO Amaterasu - 10000]**. "Now, her skill... I Soul Charge one card..." and there went another **Sphere Magus**. _Oh for fuck's sake._ Jack's irritation showed only briefly on his face. "... and I check the top card of my deck, then return it to the top or bottom as I choose." With his card revealed only to himself, of course, his poker face came back into action. "This one can go back on top."

Jason's eyes narrowed. "What's up with that?"

"Oh, you'll see." Jack smiled cheerfully. "Now, Ammy attacks your Vanguard." At only 10000, Jason could certainly block the incoming nova, but since he's ahead on damage, he chose to maintain his hand instead.

"No Guard."

"Then, I give the power from my Draw Trigger to Silent Tom, and draw a card." Jack said confidently. Jason's jaw came very close to dropping and his voice went _very_ quiet.

"... what?"

"Oh, come now. The purpose of checking the top card of my deck... it's obviously to get myself a Trigger." he chuckled. "Now then. Twin Drive, first check."

**[Drive Check: Dream Eater – Draw Trigger]**

"Like I said, I give the power to Silent Tom and draw a card. Also, I have four cards in my hand now, so Ammy's skill kicks, giving her an extra 4000 power." Jason winced as Jack calmly continued. "Second Check..."

**[Drive Check: CEO Amaterasu – No Trigger]**

"You got lucky this time. Still, I'll have you take this one damage."

Jason reached, trembling slightly, for his Damage Check switch...

**[Damage Check: Cheer Girl Tiara – Heal Trigger]**

"Again!? I... give the power to my Vanguard."

Jack nodded. "Fine. Then, my Silent Tom attacks your Panzer Gale at 13000." he extended his hand. "Will you guard?"

Jason couldn't seem to decide whether to be angry or depressed, so he just drops his Panzer Gale; on the field, the Unit dissolved back into the water under the assault from Silent Tom. "My turn?"

"By all means." Jack smiled meanly.

**Jack  
Hand: 5  
Front Row: Silent Tom/CEO Amaterasu/-  
Back Row: -/-/-  
Damage: Battle Sister Chocolat (F), Dark Cat, Oracle Guardian Red-Eye, Battle Sister Chocolat**

**Jason  
Hand: 6  
Front Row: -/Field Driller/Devil Summoner  
Back Row: -/Medical Manager/Medical Manager  
Damage: Silence Joker, Cheer Girl Tiara, Cheer Girl Tiara**

Jason's draw was useless again – and worse, he had no Ride, either. "I call MVP Black Panther and another **Medical Manager** behind him; as before, I Soul Charge." The goblin was no different from usual, of course, but his new Unit, the treasured black panther, stood tall, clothed in flawless orange and black armor, its feline lips curled in a snarl **[MVP Black Panther - 10000]**. Jason checked his Charge card. "... **Kung Fu Kicker**. A Stand Trigger." he complained.

Jack raised his hand. "If you're done, then come at me." he said, making Jason flinch.

"Fine, here I come." the jock returned, rising to the challenge. "My _first_ Medical Manager boosts, and Devil Summoner attacks your Vanguard." **[7000+7000 = 14000]**

"I Guard with Dream Eater; you're blocked." he said coolly, defending himself with the mystical elephant, determined to hold Jason to four damage. Jason actually snarled at him.

"In that case, with Medical Manager boosting, my Field Driller attacks Amaterasu." **[7000+7000 = 14000]**

Jack smiled. "I Guard with Luck Bird!"

"Again!?" Jason groaned. "How many of those do you _have_?"

"Three..." Jack admitted. "And I've used each of them to Guard. Come now; one to pass."

* * *

"Risky play." Laura muttered. Sally looked sideways at her.

"Why's that?"

She kicked her feet idly in the water. "Normally, you'd hard block the Vanguard at four Damage, just to defend against a potential Critical Trigger."

* * *

Over in the shade, the conversation was going in a similar direction, with the black lady narrating for her friend. "However, with the flow as it is now, it's highly likely that his opponent won't get a Trigger. He can probably sense that."

* * *

Jason reached for his Trigger, obviously trying to will one to him. "Come on...!" he growled, tapping his Drive Check switch.

**[Drive Check: General Seifried – No Trigger]**

"Hey, at least you have a Grade 3 for next turn." Jack tells him cheerfully. Jason doesn't look pleased.

"Finally, with one more Medical Manager boosting, my MVP Black Panther attacks the Vanguard." **[7000+10000 = 17000]**

Now _that_ was a swing, and this time Jack allowed it through, eyes shut. "No Guard." he reached for his Damage Check and was 'rewarded' with a golden flash.

**[Damage Check: Psychic Bird – Critical Trigger]**

"... Psychic Bird. This is the worst game for Trigger luck I think I've ever played, Christ." Jack muttered. Jason made an annoyed sound.

"I'm done."

**Jack  
Hand: 3  
Front Row: Silent Tom/CEO Amaterasu/-  
Back Row: -/-/-  
Damage: Battle Sister Chocolat (F), Dark Cat, Oracle Guardian Red-Eye, Battle Sister Chocolat, Psychic Bird**

**Jason  
Hand: 6  
Front Row: MVP Black Panther/Field Driller/Devil Summoner  
Back Row: Medical Manager/Medical Manager/Medical Manager  
Damage: Silence Joker, Cheer Girl Tiara, Cheer Girl Tiara**

"No kidding. Stand and Draw." Jack's hand moved back to his deck. "Ammy's skill, I Soul Charge... **Maiden of Libra**... and check the top card." it went back to the top of his deck and he picked another card from his hand. "I call **Psychic Bird**, and, using its skill, add it to the Soul to draw one card." a flick and the card was there. "Now that I have it in hand, I'll call out Weather Girl Milk." Jack's latest Unit, appearing behind Amaterasu, was a happy fairy in a pretty yellow sundress **[Weather Girl Milk - 6000]**. Jason frowned deeply.

"You worked that hard to get a 6000-point booster into your hand?"

"Well, you'll see." Jack chuckled softly, picking another card. "I'll also call Blue Scale Deer out to Ammy's other side."

Now his Vanguard was flanked – on one side by Silent Tom, and on the other by... well, the Unit was exactly what it sounded like: a blue deer (well, technically a _stag_) covered in scale armor, with a heavy set of prongs **[Blue Scale Deer - 8000]**. "Okay then... now we kick it. Milk boosts and Ammy attacks."

With Jack's field set up as it was, now was definitely the time to go hard, and he was showing it with the sudden rush of attacks – although leading with the Vanguard was definitely strange. **[6000+10000 = 16000]**

* * *

"His deck doesn't have any Stands." Laura murmured, frowning. "Interesting choice."

"How can you tell?" Sally asked from beside her. Laura glanced at her.

"Normally, you'd swing with your Vanguard second or third, so that you could get a fourth attack with a Stand Trigger, but since he's swinging first, and judging by the fact that we've seen both Dream Eater _and_ Miracle Kid, it's likely that his deck is running eight Draws and no Stands. Basically, he's sacrificing offense for hand advantage."

Sally considered this and smiled. "How gentle."

* * *

Jason wasn't about to let this one through so easily. "I guard with Cheer Girl Tiara and Fierce Leader Zachary for a total of 23, so you need two to get through."

"Oh... is that so?" Jack smiled. "I think you'll find I only need one. Twin Drive!"

* * *

"Here we go. Ammy is the weakest of all the Oracle Think Tank Grade 3s, in theory, but her ability to surprise swing is unsurpassed." The conversation in the shade continued as usual, leading the cheerful lady to laugh.

"Especially since the game only declares her power at the start of the attack, not including the inevitable change. That makes it easy to forget, causing you to under-guard like this."

* * *

**[Drive Check: Oracle Guardian Apollon – No Trigger]**

Jason let out a visible sigh of relief. "Now you can't get through."

"Don't be so sure of that." Jack replied. "Remember what I said? I only need one Trigger. Second Check, here we go!" he picked the card and span it, and smiled at the resultant green flash.

**[Drive Check: Sphere Magus – Heal Trigger]**

"Gotcha. Power to Ammy, and I heal away one damage."

Jason frowned. "That's only 21000, though."

"Is it?" Jack laughed. "Now I have four cards in my hand..."

Jason's expression went from 'confused' to 'oh crap' in record time. "Amaterasu's skill..."

"That's right. She gets an extra 4000, putting her to 25... in other words, that's enough to get by. Now, take this one damage."

The football player shied away from the red blast that smashed down on his field, courtesy Ammy's starburst of fire, making his Field Driller groan in pain.

**[Damage Check: Commander Gary Ganon]**

"Oh, feel bad about it." Jack chuckled. "Now then, Silent Tom attacks Devil Summoner."

Jason glanced at his hand and shook his head. "No Guard." he returned, watching Silent Tom level its literal finger-guns and blow his Eldritch quarterback away. Jack continued calmly.

"Finally, Blue Scale Deer swings at your Vanguard again." It was only 8000, but Jason didn't seem to have any choice but to take the deer by the horns as it were, forcing Field Driller to take a nasty trampling.

**[Damage Check: Kung Fu Kicker – Stand Trigger]**

"For what its worth, power to Vanguard and Black Panther stands." Jason just shook his head, disappointed. "That it?"

"My battle phase isn't quite over yet. Deer's skill, Soulblast: I drop two from my soul..." he raised a hand to his field, doing so. "... and draw a card. _Now_ it's your turn."

**Jack  
Hand: 5  
Front Row: Silent Tom/CEO Amaterasu/Blue Scale Deer  
Back Row: -/Weather Girl Milk/-  
Damage: Battle Sister Chocolat (F), Dark Cat, Oracle Guardian Red-Eye, Battle Sister Chocolat**

**Jason  
Hand: 4  
Front Row: MVP Black Panther/Field Driller/-  
Back Row: Medical Manager/Medical Manager/Medical Manager  
Damage: Silence Joker, Cheer Girl Tiara, Cheer Girl Tiara, Commander Gary Ganon, Kung Fu Kicker**

* * *

"And now Jack's on top!" Sally cheered happily.

"With his field mostly full, that Seifried isn't going to be much good. Also Jack has a hand advantage and can afford not to guard at least one attack." Laura analyzed it slowly. "That could well have been the point where any semblance of a balance of power crumbled."

Sally gave her a long look. "Sally thinks you don't enjoy this game enough." Laura made a noncomittal sound and looked away.

* * *

"Stand and Draw." Jason picked a card from his hand. "Not my first pick, but it'll do. Leader of the Dark Legion, master of the forbidden play... I Ride General Seifried!"

Jack had to actually step back a little as the on-deck pool briefly became a maelstrom wrapped around Field Driller – even though it was just a graphic, it still caught him by surprise. When the water fell, Field Driller had been replaced a towering leader, wrapped in armor of black and silver, with the odd green jewel here and there for effect; two silver 'wings' extended from his shoulders, framing his hulking body **[General Seifried – 10000]**.

"Finally, a Grade 3." Jack nodded to his opponent. "Show me what you can do with it."

"You really need to quit running your mouth." Jason returned hotly. "I call another **MVP Black Panther**," he glanced at the field as it arrived, leaving Seifried flanked by the two golden-armored jungle cats, "and then boost with my first Medical Manager and attack with my first Panther." **[7000+10000 = 17000]**

Jack plucked two cards from his hand. "I Intercept with Blue Scale Deer and guard with Dream Eater." Black Panther's tackle was halted by the sudden appearance of the armored deer and its elephant companion, causing a crash in the waves but no actual damage to his Vanguard. Jason didn't let up.

"Then, I'll attack with my other Rearguard column." **[7000+10000=17000]**

Jack smiled. "I'll guard again, you know. It's unfortunate, but I'll use the Sphere Magus in my hand and block you out."

* * *

"He's not going to guard General Seifried _again_?" Laura frowned deeply, obviously confused. "What the hell is he doing?"

Beside her, Sally pulled her feet out of the water. "As you said, the flow of the game is going against the big guy... Sally thinks Jack knows that."

* * *

With his Rearguards blocked, Jason chose to make his swing with his Vanguard. "Medical Manager boosts, and General Siefried attacks. Also, Seifried's skill: when he's boosted by another Spike Brother, he gets an extra 3000 power." **[7000+(10000+3000) = 20000]**

Jack glanced at his four card hand and shook his head as Seifried set itself, gathering an immense amount of energy between its arms. "No Guard."

"Come on, Critical Trigger..." Jason muttered, grasping slowly for his checks.

**[Drive Check: Wonder Boy – No Trigger]**

**[Drive Check: Dudley Douglass – No Trigger]**

If Jack was at all relieved, it didn't show on his face, not even as Amaterasu shrieked and writhed in pain as Seifried's black shockwave washed over her body.

**[Damage Check: Blue Scale Deer – No Trigger]**

"Looks like this is as far as you go." Jack said calmly. _I think I have it, now._ "You're not any good at Vanguard, are you?"

Jason bristled. "Hey!"

"Jason. Even if there was a monster who ruled over this world from the shadows, he couldn't twist the truth." Jack folded his arms across his chest. "Nothing about this adds up. You were gentle with Sally when we arrived, and you didn't pick a fight you probably could have won. You also agreed to my terms even though you had no reason to do so, as if you wanted to punish yourself. And it's obvious that you don't really have the handle on that deck. Given that your physique suggests you've been playing sport pretty much full time..." he pointed across the pool at his opponent. "You aren't a Vanguard player at all, are you?"

Jason recoiled visibly and, after a moment's hesitation, hung his head. "... that's right. I only just began playing. And everyone here was so good..."

Jack was quiet for a moment before he spoke. "You're good at football, aren't you? A perpetual winner?"

"Yes."

"Then, I see what happened." Jack smiled gently. "You know you're out of your league, here, so the pressure got to you. Your mental balance fell apart, and you grabbed for whatever advantage you could. … isn't that right, Jason?"

Jason went quiet for a long time, and didn't speak even when he agreed, just nodding gently.

* * *

"That's it. This game is over." The intense lady in the shade murmured. "His heart isn't in it anymore."

* * *

"Stand and Draw." Jack's words jolted Jason out of his reverie. "This game isn't over yet."

**Jack  
Hand: 5  
Front Row: Silent Tom/CEO Amaterasu/-  
Back Row: -/Weather Girl Milk/-  
Damage: Battle Sister Chocolat (F), Dark Cat, Oracle Guardian Red-Eye, Battle Sister Chocolat, Blue Scale Deer**

**Jason  
Hand: 5  
Front Row: MVP Black Panther/General Seifried/MVP Black Panther  
Back Row: Medical Manager/Medical Manager/Medical Manager  
Damage: Silence Joker, Cheer Girl Tiara, Cheer Girl Tiara, Commander Gary Ganon, Kung Fu Kicker**

Jack only had to consider his hand for a moment. "Ammy Soul Charges... it's **Sphere Magus**." His eye twitched, betraying his frustration with the generally awful luck the game had suffered from. "Anyway, I return the top card of my deck to the top and call out Oracle Guardian Apollon." Unlike the rest of his deck, which was full of combat nuns, pretty priestesses, and armored animals, his new Grade 3 was pure war machine, built of chrome and ivory, a statue-fortress of guns. **[Oracle Guardian Apolloon – 10000]**.

"Now then, let's finish this up." Jack snapped his fingers. "Milk boosts and Amaterasu attacks. Since I have four cards in hand, Milk boosts for 10, while Ammy gets her plus-four pump." His fairy almost seemed to be dancing in the doubled-size sun, only to pleased to give her power to her Clan Leader, whose now-golden radiance dyed the sea around them the color of a pure emerald **[(6000+4000)+(10000+4000) = 24000]**

"24000... that's a lot. I Intercept with both my MVP Black Panthers and guard with Cheerful Lynx." Jason's field rapidly comes to with the feline players, all trying to guard their General.

Jack raised an eyebrow. "That's only 25000 in total; are you sure that will be enough, since I returned my top card to the top?"

"If I threw away more than this I wouldn't be able to counterattack next turn anyway, so I just have to hope that you're bluffing." Jason replied. Jack smiled.

"Good attitude. Then..." he moved his hand to his Drive icon. "I give power to my Vanguard, and Draw."

"God _damnit_!"

**[Drive Check: Miracle Kid – Draw Trigger]**

Ammy's sun swelled yet further, and Jack didn't hesitate to pull his second card.

**[Drive Check: Weather Girl Milk – No Trigger]**

"Now, take this: **Sunlight Yellow Overdrive**!" Seifried twisted and roared in pain as the sun began to encroach down upon him, but Jason stood firm.

"I still get a Damage Check. Come on, Heal..." he muttered, grabbing for his Check, only to be disappointed by a golden flash.

**[Damage Check: Silence Joker – Critical Trigger]**

Seifried twisted and disintegrated under the blast, and the field slowly dissolved back into the billboard that had started the fight, proclaiming Jack's victory. Jason hung his head. "... I lost."

"Good game. You did well to hold out for so long with no Grade 3." Jack complimented him in turn, easing out of his AR Sheathe. Jason started to pull his deck free to offer it to him.

"Here, since you won."

"No." Jason stopped and stared as Jack shut him down, shaking his head. "Just apologise to Sally and give her cards back. I don't care about yours."

* * *

"So, lover, what did you think of that?" Over in the shade, away from the pool, the brown-haired lady shifted and kneeled up, straddling her friend's lap.

"They're both amateurs and they were both unlucky, but it was an okay game. That Jack kid might be good with some practice." her dark-haired friend stretched out beneath her, groaning like a cat. "He doesn't really know how to play OTT, though; he even guarded with Sphere Magus, which you shouldn't really ever do if you can possibly avoid it."

"Sounds like he caught your interest. Should I be jealous?"

"Hardly. I'll just be glad to enlighten him on the proper way to expand your hand if he ever comes by the store."

* * *

Back by the pool, Jason handed Sally her cards back, being extremely gentle with her. "I'm sorry."

Sally took them, half-hiding behind Laura, but... "... it's okay. Just don't do it again."

"I won't."

"So, are you entertained?" Jack asked Laura, smiling at her. She beckoned him to lean down to her level.

"Come here and I'll show you."

Smugly, he leaned down, and Laura wrapped her arms around his shoulders... only to throw him roughly into the pool with a loud splash, making him quickly struggle back to the surface, spluttering.

"H-Hey!"

She laughed and slipped into the water, patting Sally's leg. "That was more entertaining than the fight. Come on, I'd like to actually use the pool."

Sally lit up and followed her, then glanced back at Jason. "You know, you should, too, instead of standing around like an idiot." she said in a too-polite tone, and chased after Laura, leaving him with a bemused expression for a few moments before he finally followed them in.

"Fine..."


	2. Chapter 2: Highway Star

"It's. Too. _Hot._"  
Laura had initially invited Jack and Sally to her room for a few friendly games, but the heat wave had sapped away all of their energy and they'd ended up sprawled head-to-head on her floor in varying state of undress, breathing lightly as if it would help them avoid the hot air. Even with the ship underway, there was almost no wind up on deck, and the heat beating down pervaded even into the interior rooms, refusing to be defeated entirely by air conditioning. And, of course, with there being only so much the ship's generator could manage, climate control was at a premium. Like all of the rooms given to students on the ship, it was upper-class without being lavish: one room with en suite, a single bed, and a desk, the kind of thing one would expect from a hotel.  
Jack started to twist as he heard a rustle, only to be admonished by Laura. "Don't turn around, I'm taking my top off."

"Knew you'd come around to it sooner or later." he did as asked, smiling a little. She swatted his arm without any real effort.

"Very funny. Sally, you're pretty quiet over there." They didn't get an answer beyond her quiet breathing, and the other two turned to look, then smiled: Sally was sound asleep on her back, chest rising and falling in gentle slumber.

"Aw, isn't that cute." Laura rolled back. "Hey, something's bugging me."

"Shoot."

"When you were lecturing Jason at the end of that game..." she trailed off. Jack squirmed a little, laughing nervously.

"Come on, I was just making shit up."

"No, you weren't." Laura returned flatly. "That smile on your face said it all. You weren't even gloating. You were being _understanding_. What happened?"

Jack went quiet for a while and eventually let out a little sigh. "Fine. When I was a kid I got bullied pretty mercilessly. I was a lot smarter than the other kids my age, so that contributed. Finally I got shoved and, like a moron, I hauled off and planted the other guy."

"Seems legit. So?"

"'So' nothing. I scared the hell out of myself."  
Laura tipped her head back a little, rubbing against the carpet so she could look back at him, just a little. "Why's that?"

"Because it felt good." Jack replied simply. "Because I enjoyed throwing the punch, feeling it connect, seeing him go down like a punk. More than that, I was angry at myself, too, for cracking and needing to resort to violence to fix something that I could have just defused with a cheerful word."

"Is that why you threw in that snarky one-liner instead of putting your fists up when that whole thing started?" she guessed. He grunted an affirmation.

"That's right. His reaction got me suspicious. From then on it was just proving what I suspected... that he'd cracked under the pressure, just like I had."

Laura took her turn at being silent for a moment. "So what did you do after that?"

"Sounds dumb, but I took up karate and started doing a lot of hard physical training. Anything to work out the aggression. It's about mindset, not about the techniques learned; those are a last resort. I didn't enter tournaments or anything, either, and being kinda buff and having a reputation for actually doing karate meant I never got into another fight." he laughed. "I'd get my ass kicked if I picked a fight now, which is why I didn't with Jason."

"Makes sense..." she admitted in return. "How about all that talk about him not playing much Vanguard?"

"Ah, he made a bunch of sub-optimal choices... missing his ride didn't help but that's not something you can do anything about it. I'd say his biggest mistake was calling MVP Black Panther instead of choosing to ride it over his Field Driller." Jack folded his hands on his chest, thoughtful. "It's true that attempting to rush out his hand and get a Grade 3 could have been useful, but he was stuck so firmly in the reverse current that he should have ridden Black Panther and played defensively with the base 10. I would have done that. Someone significantly luckier probably could have carried out the play he made and made it work, but it didn't happen for him."

Laura considered this and eventually nodded. "Makes sense, I suppose, although I don't really consider luck to be a thing."

"Well, Vanguard has such an element of luck involved with its Drive and Damage Checks that I don't think you can really avoid it, so being conscious of your luck, and your opponent's, and the general flow of the game is important."

"So you're saying you play by gut?" she queried.

"Something like that." Jack shrugged. "I guess it's a combination of both thinking about it and just going with whatever seems right."

"Ah, that reminds me." Laura stretched a little. "Have you heard about the rule change this year?"

"Rule change?" he frowned. "What change? New banlist -?"

"No, it's simpler than that. Put simply, you can now Ride a unit of one Grade_ lower_ than your Vanguard if you want."

"What the hell prompted that?"

She laughed. "Apparently someone got decked out at last year's exhibitions and really pissed off the crowd. Remember, this _is_ a spectator sport."

"Sally thinks that's good." the mousy girl broke in quietly, making the other two start; they hadn't noticed her waking up. "It's more fun if you play it to the conclusion than for someone to lose because they ran out of cards or couldn't attack with their Vanguard."

Jack considered this and eventually nodded. "Yeah, I can see how that would be more crowd-pleasing... well, I suppose that's an advantage for me since my deck is so draw-heavy."

"Or for anyone who gets into a long game..." Laura chimed in. Jack half rolled to look over at her, enough that he wasn't breaking her commandment to not look at her directly.

"By the way, what do you play?"

"Me?" she shied away a little bit.

"What's wrong?"

"N... nothing." Laura lied so plainly that even Sally could see it. "I play Tachikaze. Robot dinosaurs that shoot beams when they roar and all that."

Jack doesn't push her from there, since she's obviously uncomfortable about it for some reason, and Sally spoke up to fill the silence. "But Jack, what you were saying earlier... Sally thinks you got very lucky, that you were able to end it just like that."

"I know." he returned gently. "The guys bullying me were just morons. Guys who do it seriously, they're the ones who tend to have learned to fight defending themselves from a 200-pound drunk man at home; I would have been buried like the cartel runners in _Lethal Weapon_ otherwise."

"Just so long as you know." Sally said quietly, and seemed to fall back asleep, casting the room into a silence that lasted for hours.

* * *

Seeing the island that PSY Academy lay on nearly blew Jack's mind. He'd been expecting open green spaces and a few big buildings, like an actual private school – not a full-fledged _city_. He'd stalled as they were coming off the boat, looking around in wonder. Everything felt sleek and shiny and futuristic, and what's more, there was _so much_ running on a global AR network, advertisements hanging in midair and literally popping off billboards. And then there were the people; it seemed like everyone was online, and more than that, the fashion was insane: just about everyone wore some outfit that was obviously a staging ground for a miniature AR protocol. Jack could even see a guy wearing a t-shirt with a dragon pattern on the back that actually crawled off the garment to wrap around his shoulders. "Holy crap..."

"Why are you so surprised, pretty-boy?" Laura teased him. "Think about what goes into building a huge school, doubly-so on a remote island."

Jack considered. "Well, first things first, you need the construction crew..."

"Uh huh, and what do they need?"

He put his hand over his mouth, thinking. "Food... resources... I guess places to relax? … oh, boy."

Laura grinned. "Exactly. So an entire miniature city sprung up around those business opportunities, and then it grew outwards from there. So now this entire island is a city unto itself, claiming no nationality but its own and accepting all comers. It's not only the foremost center in the world for Vanguard, but it's one of the most advanced cities in the world, because of its emphasis on technological advance."

"You sound pretty proud." Jack put a hand on his hip.

"I grew up here, so yeah." she submitted. "My father works at the Academy, but since I'm entering this year, I wanted to do the cruise trip anyway. Well, one of them. Obviously there's more than one boat."

"Obviously..." Jack raised a hand as he spotted Sally in the crowd, now wandering around in a pure-white and very boyish Renaissance-style outfit – complete with high, metal-embroidered collar. "Sally! Over here."

Her face lit up as she scurried to join them."Jack!"

"Hey kiddo." Jack ruffled her hair and looked to Laura. "So, where are we going?"

"Ah, right, we kind of rushed off the boat so yeah. Hang on." she pulled a drop-down menu out of the air, hurriedly producing a pair of letters and passing them to the other two. Jack frowned as he took his. In reality, the letter was just a visual effect for a data dump she was offering him.

"What's this?"

"It's information for letting you log onto the school's network, which keeps track of all your games, and also gives you a free account on the city-wide network, which does the same thing. Also, it's coming from me, so it's a pass to an AR-based pirate radio station, Topdeck Radio." Laura winked. "Which not only plays good music, but it gives simultaneous commentary on almost every game that occurs in the city."

Jack's frown deepened. "How does it do that?"

"Who cares?" she returned, making him shrug.

"Well, whatever." It didn't take long to apply the pass, either, and he was met by a smooth, rough, male voice in his ear as he tuned in mid-sentence.

"_... time of year again when all the new kids off the boat come flooding in, so remember to be nice to anyone who's lost and to take the opportunity to rack up some cheap wins if you feel like you need to. It's a humid 24 with a heavy chance of a shower this evening, so here's a song to help you beat the heat..."_

Jack's face lit up at the classic rock song that followed. "Okay, yeah, it plays good music."

"Oh, I think he likes it..." Laura teased him gently. Sally, making a face as if growing accustomed to the new soundtrack in her ears, spoke up.

"So, where are we staying...?"

Laura turned and pointed into the city. "Near the Academy grounds, there's an apartment block for students. Well, part of the tuition fee goes towards appliances and so on, so you don't need to worry about electricity and water, but get used to shopping for yourself."

"Ow." Jack winced. "Time to learn how to cook..."

Sally laughed and tugged at his arm. "Let's go."

* * *

"So, this is home from now on." Jack murmured, flopping onto his bed. The apartment wasn't anything fancy – one room with a squared-away kitchen and a small en suite. Pretty much everything was gray, and judging from what he'd seen so far, the idea was to wallpaper it with AR rather than actually doing it yourself. His luggage had arrived ahead of him, and was still lying in boxes around the room. "Well, I may as well break in the bed." he lied to himself, looking for a good reason to put off unpacking. Fortunately, rather than giving him the illusion of choice, his new friends had taken the liberty of choosing for him: before long, there was a knock at the door, and a muffled voice.

"Jack? Laura is showing Sally around the town. Come with us?"

Jack nearly vaulted off his bed. "Yes!"

"_... early rain coming in across the city, so be prepared for that. While you're looking skywards, it seems like we've had Dasher sightings in the business district near the school, so give a wave up if you spot them."_

"Dashers?" Jack queried, tuning out the radio in his ears. As it happened, they were in that same district, as Laura was showing them around. Right near the school, it was more like a boulevard than an actual road, with pedestrians milling around trams in the road where they really shouldn't have been and the pavement coated white. At present, she was leading them towards a proudly-advertised card shop (the third they'd passed), so-named 'Horizon', and in fact the signage carried an animated logo of a sun blazing over a rocky horizon. Laura paused for a moment to explain, making Sally wander out a little, eyes on the sky.

"They're a group of _traceurs_ who function as an on-foot 'get it done today' courier service within the city. They're faster than post, and more expensive, but they get it done fast, and they don't care what you're giving them to carry." As she spoke, Jack followed after Sally, stepping sideways from under the overhanging signage to look up.

"You mean they roof hop?"

"Yep." Laura smiled at him. "Why, scared of heights?"

He paled a little. "Just a little bit..."

"Well, we're here." she slid open the door to the shop, leading them on and in. Inside, the place was a lot bigger than Jack had initially expected – although there were a few tables and racks here and there, the centre was given over to a sunken pit that looked suspiciously like an oversized playmat, with a circle at either end for players to stand in.

"Is that a tournament-style pitch?"

A girlish voice rang out from behind the counter, answering his question. "It is, although I'm debating making it into a pool."

The group's eyes – Sally included, now that she'd finally come inside – turned to her as she stepped from behind the counter. Jack frowned, matching up her face and height with the smart casual clothes. "You... you were on the boat. You were snuggling up with that other lady and watching my game with Jason."

"That's right. I was supervising some incoming cards, or at least, that's what I'll tell anyone if they ask why I left the store for a cruise." she smiled impishly and leaned on the counter, shaking her auburn hair back. "Name's Yuki, like courage. I run the Horizon, and we're the best damn card shop around, so nice to meet you. Jack, right?"

"That's me." he nodded slowly, and as they approached, Laura outstripped him and exchanged a high five with Yuki, both grinning.

"You sure looked good in that school swimsuit, Laura."

"I'll take that as a compliment." Laura smirked back. Sally raised a hand.

"You know each other?" she asked, and Yuki leaned past Laura, nodding.

"Laura grew up around here, so of course we do. Can't get much better than the 'Commodore' here." Laura winced at the nickname, making Jack frown.

"What's up with that?"

She rubbed at her face. "It's nothing... don't worry about it. Just a stupid nickname cause I win a lot."

"I see." Jack moved up to the counter, browsing along, and stopped when he came to a deck lying on the counter – unsleeved, but the cards were larger than Vanguard cards, with a white-and-black feather motif on the back. He reached for them, frowning. "What are these?"

Before he got much further, a hand slammed down on the deck. "Don't touch." Looking up, Jack found himself staring into the face of 'that other lady', and felt very small indeed in front of her intense expression and golden eyes. Compared to Yuki's casual ensemble, the lady in front of him wore all leather, including a heavy coat that didn't go with the humidity in the air, although it didn't seem to bother her.

"S... sorry..." he withdrew his hand meekly. Yuki tutted.

"Venera, play nice."

The tall woman, Venera, picked the deck up, shuffling it slightly protectively. "... sorry."

Jack shook his head. "It's alright, I shouldn't have touched without permission. What kind of cards are those, by the way? I've never seen them before."

"They're for Bushiroads' other game, Weiss Schwarz. It's been around longer, and most of Vanguard's rules are a pretty much dumbed-down version of the game, but it's nowhere near as popular. Actually, it's quite obscure." she admits. Yuki came over, putting her hand on Venera's shoulder.

"Venera was a really strong player, but she doesn't play anymore. Does 'Eraser Rain' ring any bells?"

Jack and Sally barely had to think about it, both making noises of amazement. "Holy crap, you're that lady who completely destroyed the nationals three years ago."

"Sally plays Dimensional Police because of you." the girl chimed in. Venera grunted.

"That's cute. I don't care." she lapsed into a chair behind the counter, parking her feet up behind the card stands and continuing to shuffle her deck. "Go play your kiddy games or whatever."

Laura watched the entire affair with a downcast look on her face, eventually turning away. "Well, anyway, if you guys want to buy cards, go ahead, I'll be outside." Jack and Sally watched her go, then looked at Yuki, who smiled wearily.

"It's a long story. I'm not gonna go into it cause Venera would smack me." Her comment only drew a grunt from her intense friend, prompting her to wander over and plant a kiss on her forehead. "Cheer up."

"... fine." Venera muttered. "Well, I won't expect you're here to buy Weiss Schwarz cards, but if you want anything, come and ask."

"Sure..." Jack shied away a little. "I'm actually pretty much right with my deck so I'll go and catch up with Laura. Sally?"

"Sally, too." Sally bowed to Yuki on her way out. "Sally is sure we'll be back, though."

"Venera, you scared them off." Yuki complained with amusement, starting to follow them out. "I'm gonna get some air."

* * *

"Whoa, look out!"

Jack managed to pull around in time to catch the black and red blur that bulled into his chest, actually spinning once to absorb their momentum before he set them down again. Sally wasn't so lucky; she and her blur were each knocked over, groaning painfully.

"Watch where you're walking, idiot!"

Now that he had his breath back, he could see that what he'd caught was not, in fact, a blur, but a red-haired girl with a boyish face and pretty blue eyes, looking back up into him. "No offence, but I don't hug strangers."

Jack winced and released her so that she could brush herself off. Her outfit was very sparse, just a tank top, fingerless gloves, and just-loose-enough pants coming to flexible shoes. "Sorry."

"Not your fault cause I ran into you." she brushed her hair back and looked away, to where her companion – a dirty blonde in an all-black, but otherwise identical, outfit – was busily remonstrating with a cringing Sally. "Athena, are you finished yet?"

"Hm, ah, yeah, I'm just frustrated with randoms standing in the road." she complained, straightening up. Sally slowly drew herself to her feet. As Laura came over to intervene, though, she held up a hand, blocking the tall girl.

"Don't just act like Sally is the problem here. You came tearing out of nowhere and crashed into Sally, so you should apologise." she frowned. Athena drew herself up haughtily.

"Oh, that's how you want to play it? You must be straight off the boat here, am I right? I can tell from the no-AR clothes. What _are_ you wearing, anyway?"

Sally growled at the onslaught. "That's it. Even Sally's had enough at this point." she picked her AR Sheathe from her belt, growling. "You play, _right_?"

Jack and Laura just took two steps back, shocked at the sudden gutsiness Sally was displaying. "Are your sensors reading _that_, Commodore?" he asked quietly. Laura shook her head.

"Holy crap."

Athena laughed, raising her own. "Sure, I'll play with you, little girl. I've been looking for a chance to get this deck happening."

"Then, why don't you play in my store?" Everyone stopped to look as Yuki approached, smiling. "If you pull a good crowd I'll even pay you with some boosters for the free advertising."

"Hmph, I'll do that." Athena smirked nastily. "Holly, you don't mind, right?"

The redhead Jack had caught shrugged off-handedly. "Do as you please, it's not like we're on a job. I'll even watch."

Sally turned on her heel and stormed into the store. "Good. Then _let's play_."

* * *

The visual effect was a lot more done-up than usual. Must have been because of the new location. Instead of the plain billboard they'd seen on the ship, this version was ivory-cornered and significantly more detailed, showing a win-loss-draw record, a registered deck name if there was one, and, of course, their mugshot. Sally's WLD was, of course, blank, since she'd just arrived, but for Athena... less than fifty games, and she'd lost more than half of them. Sally looked a little amused as they set up. "Oh yes, this will go well. Sally sends back one card."

"Two. Shut up and play the game." Athena snarled.

The others had since retired to the counter to watch, making room for any spectators who happened to drift in – and they were, in fact, beginning to drift in. "Holly, right? What's her deal?" Jack asked the redhead, who had chosen to sit up _on_ the counter. She sighed.

"She has a lot to prove. She's not very good, but she got this supercharged deck for Christmas and she's been looking for people to test it out on... how about your girl?"

"Sally isn't 'my girl', but I haven't seen her play... it's not like her to be this noisy, either. Athena, was it? Must have really rubbed her the wrong way."

Verena "Let's see how she goes..."

"_This just in, looks like the Horizon is playing host to a game between resident Dasher, Athena James, and newcomer Sally Masters. Masters, where have I heard that name before? Well, go check it out if you're in the area. As usual, Topdeck Radio will be providing coverage on our secondary channel, so just follow the link if you're up into it!"_

Jack frowned at hearing that, although he did indeed follow the popup link regardless. "If it's the same guy handling it, how does he do that and the regular channel at the same time?"

"Who knows?" Laura shrugged, smiling. "But it's awesome. Hush, they're starting."

* * *

"After you," Sally nodded at her opponent, turning her card in mid-air, "Center Stage, the Vanguard!"

Athena met her just as fast. "Stand Up, Vanguard!"

The room seemed to dim as their units came to life, ascending from the field as if rising to a stage, complete with virtual smoke and lights that verged into disco. Jack glanced at Yuki. "Please tell me this is your idea."

"What can I say? Disco never died in my heart." she admitted. He groaned and turned his gaze back to the field, where the two finally came into sight: Sally's, a scrappy young man with an oversized green jewel attached to his wrist and pressed into a belt at his waist; Athena's, a sleek, lean, mechanical dog with a blue visor and highlighted stabilisers that pulled up and back from its shoulders and hips.

**[Soldier of Destiny, Dai - 4000]**

**[Fullbau – 5000]**

* * *

"Fullbau? That's a Shadow Paladin, right?" Jack queried.

Holly nodded, crossing her legs on top of the counter. "That's right. They're pretty popular because the villain in the cartoon used them, but they're also quite difficult to get the hang of. They're strong, but he made them look easy, and a lot of idiots pick them up and get smashed." she notes. Jack turned his attention back to the game.

"I see..."

* * *

Athena snapped her fingers, pulling a card to her hand. "I start. Ride, Blaster Javelin!" In a rush of wind and whirling smoke, Fullbau was replaced by a pike-wielder in black armour, covered in the faintly-pulsing blue lines all Blasters seemed to carry with them **[Blaster Javelin – 6000+1000]**. "When he has Fullbau in the Soul, he gets an extra 1000 power, and also, when I ride him on Fullbau, I get to tutor Blaster Dark from my deck." She tapped Blaster Javelin's card in the air in front of her and span it, obviously her trigger command for calling skills into play. In the air around her, her cards briefly unsorted, becoming a galaxy of lights, until one settled in her hand and the rest reshuffled and vanished. "That's it. Your turn."

Sally almost snarled at her as she drew. "Sally Rides Karenroid Daisy, and Dai outrides!" On her field, Dai jumped back, making his way to the rear edge of the field, and in the process making room for a sleek, humanoid machine to take his place: all purple, with lines like a Ferrari and a single, vicious blade running back from its left arm. Its eyes glowed bright blue and steam hissed from its mouth-vent as it took to the field **[Karenroid Daisy – 8000]**. "Also, Call, Cosmo Roar." Behind Daisy, another machine sprang to life, this one a mechanical black sabre-toothed tiger, sporting six wings along its back and a set of rocket launchers mounted along its shoulders **[Cosmo Roar – 6000]**. Sally tapped out her cards fast. "Cosmo Roar boosts and Daisy attacks your Vanguard." **[6000+8000 = 14000]**

Athena didn't even bother to address that. "No Guard."

"Sally's Drive Check." she declared, raising her hand and prompting a flash of gold to ring through the inky air.

**[Drive Check: Justice Cobalt – Critical Trigger]**

Athena, oddly, smiled at that. "Two, then."

"No, Sally gives all of the effects to Dai." Sally returned firmly, and Daisy's blade cut across Javelin's chest, drawing a grunt of pain from the dark warrior. Athena cursed.

"Damage check."

**[Damage Check: Darkside Trumpeter – Stand Trigger]**

"Well, that's useful." she complained. Sally smirked at her.

"That's it."

* * *

"Why'd she do that?" Jack looked up at Laura, confused, but it was Venera who answered.

"Blaster Dark's skill is the same as Blaster Blade's: Counterblast 2, retire one Rearguard. Your friend obviously doesn't want to lose Dai, since it's the Grade 3 digger for D-Police, so she chose not to lose a card early and force Blaster Dark's ride to be a waste." she folded her arms on the counter-top as she leaned over. "But, she's still throwing away an extra point of damage. That choice could backfire very quickly if Athena gets the Ride Chain, especially because she just prevented her from using Blaster dark, which means Athena will have more face-up damage than usual."

Jack shivered a little. "You analysed that so quickly..."

"That's what it means to play pro."

* * *

**Sally  
Hand: 5  
Front Row: -/Karenroid Daisy/-  
Back Row: Soldier of Destiny, Dai/Cosmo Roar/-  
Damage: Empty**

**Athena  
Hand: 6  
Front Row: -/Blaster Javelin/-  
Back Row: -/-/-  
Damage: Darkside Trumpeter**

"My turn, you little scamp." Athena snapped her fingers, the report sounding even over the growing crowd. "Get out here! I Ride Blaster Dark!" Another rush of wind, this time darker, and Blaster Javelin _changed_, shifting from a spear-fighter to a swordsman in full armour, heavy black blade planted in the floor at his feet **[Blaster Dark – 9000+1000]**. "When he has Blaster Javelin in the Soul, he gets an extra 1000 power. But even you can understand that, right?"

"Sally understands a lot more than Athena ever will." the mousy girl returned coldly. "Continue."

"Fine." Athena snapped back. "Call! Gururubau and Knight of Fighting Spirit, Dordona!" More strange, dark creatures – the first, a demonic dog whose body almost seemed to be made of metal, sporting a deep, razor-filled gullet that shone with green light **[Gururubau – 7000]**; the second, a knight clad in the deep mist of his own fierce fighting spirit, wielding a blazing green blade **[Knight of Fighting Spirit, Dordona - 10000]**. With these units flanking her black swordsman, Athena began her offensive.

"Gururubau attacks Daisy." she declared, reaching out to tap the card, only to be interrupted by Mr. Topdeck Radio:

"_Well, what have we here? Is she really attacking with a rearguard she can't hit with? You should know better, ladies and gentlemen, because Gururubau has a skill!"_

"That's right." Athena affirmed. "When he attacks the Vanguard, he gets an extra 2000 power."

Sally winced as Gururubau charged in – it seemed she would be taking three attacks this turn. Still... "Sally doesn't guard." Daisy made a digital sound that may have been pain as Gururubau's horrible claws ground into it, and she reached out for a Trigger. "Damage Check."

**[Damage Check: Masked Police, Grander – No Trigger]**

"Sally didn't get one." she reported as the card slid to her damage zone. Athena smirked.

"Of course not. Next is Blaster Dark." she pushed her hand out. "Go!"

"Sally doesn't guard this, either!" Sally returned as Blaster Dark launched himself almost to the ceiling, bringing his blade around for a cruel blow.

"Then, I Drive Check." Athena drew it out for two seconds longer than it needed to, causing Blaster Dark's fall to turn slow motion in the air, as if for effect... and mirroring Sally, a golden flash rang through the field.

**[Drive Check: Death Feather Eagle – Critical Trigger]**

She laughed. "Critical Trigger! I give it all to Blaster Dark!"

Empowered by a golden glow, Blaster Dark swung down like a bolt of lightning, almost threatening to cleave Sally's Karenroid in half. Somehow, though, it managed to hold together, even as it sparked and fritzed.

"Sally's Damage Check..." Of all things, a red flash.

**[Damage Check: Army Penguin – Draw Trigger]**

"Sally got it, Draw Trigger!" Sally whooped. "Sally gives the power to Daisy, and she draws." she declared, sliding another card into her hand. Unlike Jack, who preferred his right in front of him, Sally kept her hand floating around left wrist, tapping cards with her fingertips and moving the entire ensemble when her arm moved. Athena growled while Sally checked her second damage.

**[Damage Check: Karenroid Daisy – No Trigger]**

"I end."

* * *

"That was a mistake." Laura commented. "If she'd shared the love she would have been able to attack three times and really ruin Sally's day."

Holly sighed. "She has this problem where she just goes after raw power. Even when she's running she's like that, just powers through obstacles. No finesse. It can honestly work pretty well, but she should think things through more, especially with Vanguard."

"Still, her deck is very powerful." Yuki chimed in, smiling cheerily. "That might make up for the gap, and it sounds like it fits her attitude anyway."

"We'll see..." Jack muttered. _Come on, Sally._

* * *

**Sally  
Hand: 6  
Front Row: -/Karenroid Daisy/-  
Back Row: Soldier of Destiny, Dai/Cosmo Roar/-  
Damage: Masked Police, Grander; Army Penguin; Karenroid Daisy**

**Athena  
Hand: 5  
Front Row: Gururubau/Blaster Dark/Knight of Fighting Spirit, Dordona  
Back Row: -/-/-  
Damage: Darkside Trumpeter**

"Sally's Stand and Draw." the brown-haired girl declared, picking up her next card. "Sally Rides the flag of justice, Masked Police, Grander!" In a rush of red, Daisy was gone, replaced by a caped crusader in armour and spandex of red and white, highlighted with black and gold, face covered by an insectoid mask with vibrant green eyes **[Masked Police, Grander – 8000]**.

"Looks like you're up shit creek over there." Athena taunted. "Having to Ride Grander; tut tut."

"Shut up!" Sally retorted at her, not feeling witty at all. "Sally uses Dai's Counterblast." she raised her left hand as a whole, flipping her cards with one finger. "She flips one, moves him to the Soul, and searches her top five for a Grade 3."

"Sure, do what you please, I don't care." Athena shrugged why Sally made her search. A flash of irritation crossed her face.

"Sally grabs Electro-Star Combination Cosmogreat and the rest of the cards are shuffled into her deck." With one touch, they were already on their way, and she got down to business. "For now, Sally boosts with Roar and attacks with Grander." **[6000+8000 = 14000]**

"I don't care. No Guard." Athena blew her off, and Grander launched himself into the air with a forward somersault, keen to return Blaster Dark's attack. Sally's hand moved to her Trigger commands.

"Sally's Drive Check..." As opposed to another flash of gold, this time, there was a blast of green, almost invisible in the smoke.

**[Drive Check: Justice Rose – Heal Trigger]**

"Heal Trigger! Sally gives the power to her Vanguard, and she heals one damage." she smiled broadly as she dumped the Grander in her damage, and the Grander on her field completed his flip, almost seeming to 'skip' in the air, like the AR had messed up, so that he could turn the somersault into a flying kick, catching Blaster Dark in the chest and making him stagger. After a moment, as he continued to stagger around, there was a sudden blast that threw a crash of smoke and light into the air.

**[Damage Check: Doranbau – No Trigger]**

"Sally's turn ends." she added sweetly.

"Fine." Athena growled back, washing away the smoke with a wave of her arm.

* * *

"So you're a Dasher, yeah?" Jack asked Holly as the game came to a lull. "What's that like?"

"Hard work, but a lot of fun." she smiled. "Keeps you in shape, and the pay isn't bad, either. They call me Lightning cause I'm Just. That. Good. How about you, student?"

"Just off the boat." he admitted. "I'm still feeling pretty lost. Although I seem to be perpetually surrounded by cute girls like you and Laura, so I don't mind."

Holly blushed a little and Laura smacked his arm, remonstrating with him lightly. "You Casanova wannabe."

"Is it working?"

"No." she returned, smiling. "Now shut up, Athena is revving up."

* * *

**Sally  
Hand: 8  
Front Row: -/Masked Police, Grander/-  
Back Row: -/Cosmo Roar/-  
Damage: Army Penguin; Karenroid Daisy**

**Athena  
Hand: 5  
Front Row: Gururubau/Blaster Dark/Knight of Fighting Spirit, Dordona  
Back Row: -/-/-  
Damage: Darkside Trumpeter, Doranbau**

"Draw." Athena glanced at her hand and grinned. "Perfect timing. You should keep your eyes closed, because what you'll see is nothing but despair. Ride, Phantom Blaster Overlord!" With a crackle of lightning through the air, the dark shape exploded forth from Blaster Dark, making him howl in pain as the dragon's soul slumbering inside him took flight, twisting and warping his body until what remained was a hulking dragon, wrapped in black steel, wings and claws highlighted in gold and marked with rubies **[Phantom Blaster Overlord – 11000]**. "Of course, with no Phantom Blaster Dragon in the Soul, he doesn't get his Crossride pump... but whatever, 11000 is more than enough for you." Athena laughed, reaching for her field. "Gururubau moves back, and I'll call a second Overlord in front of him."

Another one rose to the field into the space Gururubau vacated, this one wrapped in gold with black highlights, making a perfect inversion. "Now, boosted by Gururubau, my rearguard Overlord attacks Grander!" **[7000+11000 = 18000]**

"Sally doesn't guard." Sally returned firmly, making full use of her Heal from the previous turn, even as Overlord's claws ripped across Grander's chest.

**[Damage Check: Dimensional Robo, DaiLander – No Trigger]**

Athena snorted. "Like you had a choice. Next, my Vanguard attacks Grander. Go!" Her Vanguard reared up, raising its claw with all the authority it could muster. This time, though, Sally twisted her left wrist, selecting a card from her hand and flicking it forth onto the field. "Sally guards with the Heal Trigger, Justice Rose!" The pink-armoured hero appeared in a flash, raising her staff to help block the attack. "So, you're gonna need two!"

"Fine. Drive Check!" With a flash of gold, she got lucky, ripping _another_ Critical Trigger.

**[Drive Check: Grim Reaper – Critical Trigger]**

Athena glanced at her field, considering for almost ten seconds before she made her move. "I give all effects to Dordona. Second check..."

**[Drive Check: Knight of the Void, Masquerade – No Trigger]**

"Nothing."

Justice Rose shattered under the onslaught, while Dordona stood strong, emerald blade wreathed in golden fire. "Go, Dordona! Put her down!" **[15000 Crit2]** As Dordona leaped, though, Sally ripped a second card from her hand.

"Sally won't let you pass. She guards with Justice Cobalt!" Replacing her magical warrior came a blue hero, in the armour of a Hercules beetle, arms crossed to block the attack. Although he was defeated in one strike by Dordona, none of the attack reached through to her Vanguard. Athena scowled.

"Screw it. My turn's up."

**Sally  
Hand: 6  
Front Row: -/Masked Police, Grander/-  
Back Row: -/Cosmo Roar/-  
Damage: Army Penguin; Karenroid Daisy; Dimensional Robo, DaiLander**

**Athena  
Hand: 6  
Front Row: Phantom Blaster Overlord/Phantom Blaster Overlord/Knight of Fighting Spirit, Dordona  
Back Row: Gururubau/-/-  
Damage: Darkside Trumpeter, Doranbau**

"Sally's Stand and Draw." she intoned, looking at her hand and making a slightly worried sound before she made her move. "Mmph... Sally will do this. From the stars of Orion to the fields of battle, appear! I Ride Electro-Star Combination Cosmogreat!"

Grander twisted apart as a new behemoth clanked into being, five mighty lions forming one defending robot, ready to come into action in spite of its block frame **[Electro-Star Combination Cosmogreat – 10000]**. Athena snorted.

"So, who forms the head?"

"Shut up." Sally growled back. "Cosmo Roar boosts, and Cosmogreat attacks your Vanguard."Cosmogreat raised its fists, setting the lion-heads roaring, ready to unleash laser hell **[6000+10000 = 16000]**.

"I'm not even going to pretend like I'm going to guard that. Go ahead and do what you like." Athena returned dismissively.

"Then Sally will do just that. Drive Check!" she called, and was promptly rewarded with yet another flash of gold.

**[Drive Check: Justice Cobalt – Critical Trigger]**

"Sally got one!" In spite of her bad position, she laughed happily. "It's a Critical, so she gives all the effects to her Vanguard."

Athena actually _snarled_ at her, like a cat. "Make your second."

"Sally's pleasure!" Sally returned, and was 'rewarded' with a flash of blue.

**[Drive Check: Guide Dolphin – Stand Trigger]**

"She supposes it goes to her Vanguard." she sighed, standing Cosmo Roar, for all the good it would do. Athena quietly made her damage checks, obviously fuming.

**[Damage Check: Doranbau – No Trigger]**

**[Damage Check: Phantom Blaster Dragon – No Trigger]**

"Are you done?" she finally asked. Sally bowed mockingly.

"As you will."

* * *

"Sally's looking good even though she's outnumbered, especially with how big her hand is." Jack commented. Venera hemmed and hawed a little.

"That's _true_..."

Yuki raised an eyebrow at her. "You don't sound convinced, lover." Venera shook her head.

"If she keeps getting lucky with Criticals, this could go south for Sally really quickly. Also, her habit of talking in third person is grinding my gears."

Yuki giggled and petted her head. "There, there."

* * *

**Sally  
Hand: 8  
Front Row: -/Cosmogreat/-  
Back Row: -/Cosmo Roar/-  
Damage: Army Penguin; Karenroid Daisy; Dimensional Robo, DaiLander**

**Athena  
Hand: 6  
Front Row: Phantom Blaster Overlord/Phantom Blaster Overlord/Knight of Fighting Spirit, Dordona  
Back Row: Gururubau/-/-  
Damage: Darkside Trumpeter; Doranbau; Doranbau; Phantom Blaster Dragon**

"Stand and Draw." Athena intoned. She already had her move in mind. "I drop Dordona, and in his place, call Knight of the Void, Masquerade!" On her field, Dordona's corona warped, twisted, and shattered outwards, replaced by a black knight on two spindly legs. While its head was small and featureless, the chest featured a glowing blue face, with fangs, and from the shoulders spread an array of tentacle-like braids, each dagger-tipped and ready to strike... and that was before touching the oversized, spiked blade it wielded in its right hand, treating the huge sword as if it was weightless **[Knight of the Void, Masquerade – 9000]**.

* * *

"For a weaker card?" Jack frowned. "What's the point?"

Holly snorted. "You're a complete rook, aren't you? It's a 9000-power Grade 2, so obviously it has a skill. And in this case... well, you'll see."

* * *

"Same as before, Gururubau boosts and Phantom Blaster Overlord, the rearguard, attacks." **[7000+11000 = 18000]** Athena declared as her huge dragon revved up for another swing. Sally stood firm.

"Sally doesn't guard!" she called, turning over a card as the armoured dragon clashed with her steel warrior.

**[Damage Check: Electro-Star Combination Cosmogreat – No Trigger]**

"Next is my Vanguard. Go, Phantom Blaster Overlord!" Athena laughed as she pushed the attack through, looking far too happy about it. Sally's eyes narrowed.

"There's no way Sally will let someone like you beat her! She guards with Justice Cobalt!" A second blue-clad hero appeared, ready to take the force of anything but two triggers. Athena snorted.

"Fine. Twin Drive Check, here we go!" she called... and, _yet ag__ain_, a bolt of yellow shot through the arena.

**[Drive Check: Grim Reaper - Critical Trigger]**

"Critical Trigger!" Athena looked between her units, considering, and made the fateful choice. "I'll share the love. The power goes to my Vanguard, and the Critical to Masquerade." There was a sound of disbelief in the audience, but Athena ploughed on regardless. "Second check!"

And, with that, came a second flash.

**[Drive Check: Grim Reaper – Critical Trigger]**

Everyone's breath caught. This was the end of the game, to all rights. But...

"Again, the power to my Vanguard, and the Critical to Masquerade!"

* * *

Holly groaned as soon as she heard it. "That _moron_. She forgot that she saw Guide Dolphin go into your friend's hand last turn _and_ she's trying to show off by splitting it across and getting another attack, when she should have won right then."

"That's the end of the game." Venera laughed duskily. "If you pass up your chance of winning, the Goddess of Victory will abandon you without doubt."

* * *

Sally frowned as she turned over her one damage, totally silent.

**[Damage Check: Platinum Ace – No Trigger]**

"Next, Masquerade swings for game. With his skill, he gets enough to get over your Vanguard – plus 3000 if I have a 'Blaster' Vanguard!" **[12000 Crit3]**

Sally snorted. "Sally won't let that through. She guards with Speedstar!" A card she must have been holding in reserve for who knows how long, the sleek train intercepted Masquerade's slash, broken, but triumphant, having guarded the attack. Athena growled at her.

"I can't believe you survived that..."

"Sally sure can." the mousy girl responded harshly. "Her turn?"

"Whatever you like."

**Sally  
Hand: ****6  
Front Row: -/Cosmogreat/-  
Back Row: -/Cosmo Roar/-  
Damage: Army Penguin; Karenroid Daisy; Dimensional Robo, DaiLander; ****Electro-Star Combination Cosmogreat; Platinum Ace**

**Athena  
Hand: ****8  
Front Row: Phantom Blaster Overlord/Phantom Blaster Overlord/****Knight of the Void, Masquerade  
Back Row: Gururubau/-/-  
Damage: Darkside Trumpeter; Doranbau; Doranbau; Phantom Blaster Dragon**

Sally glanced between her hand and the field. "Now... Sally's counterattack begins."

* * *

As they clashed on the field, going back and forth in a war that seemed like it wouldn't end, Jack and Holly lapsed into friendly conversation, her seated atop the counter with her legs folded, him leaning back against it, watching the game with idle interest.

"How old are you, anyway?"

"Me? Fifteen." she replied. "Not yet old enough to enter the Academy, so you won't see me on campus unless I'm doing a job."

"Is that your actual age or is that what you tell everyone?"

Holly batted his arm gently. "How rude! Yes, that's actually how old I am." she returned, making a disgruntled noise. Jack laughed.

"Then, dare I ask what's up with you and Athena?"

"She's my assigned newbie, so I gotta look after her." Holly explained. "Well, she can look after herself as far as Vanguard is concerned."

"Do you play?"

"I do, but not well." she shrugged. "Judging from how many questions you're asking, I guess that makes two of us."

Jack couldn't help but wince. "That was cold..."

"Well, it's true. Anyway, I play Murakumo, which are a terrible Clan, but I like their art." Holly admits. "Sorry if that's not good enough for you."

Jack chose to move off that topic, recognising that he'd maybe stepped a little too far. "I'll stop, then... how long have you been Dashing for?"

"Couple of years." Holly folded her hands in her lap. "My family went 'Stop being lazy, Holly, you're thirteen, go out and get a job', so I got this one and they nearly disowned me." she laughed. "Surprise surprise."

He frowned. "How come?" The redhead shrugged in return.

"It's pretty dangerous, I guess. I mean, one slip and you're paste. But there hasn't been a Dasher injury since before I got into it."

"You throw yourselves around building-tops and there _hasn't_ been anyone fal-" Jack cut off as Holly put her hands over his mouth, her voice darkening in his ear.

"Not that word. Not ever. We don't _ever_ say that." she murmured. Jack froze and nodded slowly, and she smiled cheerily as she released him. "Good boy."

"R... right..." he went quiet, turning his attention back to the game.

* * *

**Sally  
Hand: 3  
Front Row: -/DaiYusha/Grander  
Back Row: Karenroid Daisy/Cosmo Roar/Dimensional Robo, DaiLander  
Damage: ****Electro-Star Combination Cosmogreat ****(F)****; Platinum Ace ****(F)****; ****Justice Rose (F); Diamond Ace; Army Penguin**

**Athena  
Hand: 5  
Front Row: Phantom Blaster Overlord/Phantom Blaster Overlord/Gururubau  
Back Row: -/-/-  
Damage: Darkside Trumpeter (F); Doranbau (F); Doranbau (F); Phantom Blaster Dragon**

"Sally's Stand and Draw!" Sally called out, drawing attention back to the game. She'd held out admirably well, surviving with nothing but luck and pluck, but she'd somehow managed to bring things to a standstill, even pulling out her true Vanguard, the red hero, Super Dimensional Robo, DaiYusha.

"I don't even believe you hit that many Heal Triggers..." Athena complained indignantly. Sally didn't let it go.

"Sally doesn't even believe that you messed up your double Crit so badly and failed to kill her, but that was more than five turns ago." she returned. "Now, Sally calls a second DaiYusha to her front row." With a burst, a second hero appeared, this one marked in a paler, tan tone, rather than the heroic crimson of her Vanguard **[Super Dimensional Robo, DaiYusha – 10000]**. "DaiLander boosts, and Masked Police Grander attacks your Vanguard." **[6000+8000 = 14000]**

Athena wrinkled her nose. "I don't guard." she said, and as the boosted flying kick landed, she was 'rewarded' with a flash of green. "Not now...!"

**[Damage Check: Abyss Healer – Heal Trigger]**

"I can't heal... but I give the power to my Vanguard." Athena said after a moment, pumping her Overlord up to a cool 16000. Sally nodded.

"Then, as you know, Grander's skill gives an extra 2000 to Sally's Vanguard whenever he attacks. So, next, Roar boosts, and her DaiYusha attacks your Vanguard!" **[6000+(10000+2000) = 18000]**

Drawing his sword, DaiYusha clanked to the fore, taking only one step forward as he raised his sword. Athena growled, pulling two cards from her hand.

"I block with Stardust Trumpeter! Both of 'em!" At 36000, there was no way Sally could pass, so she just smiled and took her Drive Checks, DaiYusha's blazing sword crashing through the two trumpeters with just enough catch to stop it from cleaving all the way through to Overlord.

**[Drive Check: Cosmic Rider – No Trigger]**

**[Drive Check: Cosmo Roar – No Trigger]**

"Sally didn't get anything. Your guard was wasted."she smirked, slightly unpleasant. "Last, Daisy Boosts, and Sally's other DaiYusha attacks your Vanguard." **[8000+10000 = 18000]**

"That won't get through." Athena returned harshly, picking one more card up from her rapidly-dwindling hand. "I guard with Blaster Javelin! Because of the Trigger, this 5000 shield is all I need!"

Sally shrugged as the black pikeman was thoroughly shattered by DaiYusha's sword, even as it succeeded in its mission.

"Your turn."

"Fine, I'll make it count!"

**Sally  
Hand: 4  
Front Row: DaiYusha/DaiYusha/Grander  
Back Row: Karenroid Daisy/Cosmo Roar/DaiLander  
Damage: ****Electro-Star Combination Cosmogreat ****(F)****; Platinum Ace ****(F)****; ****Justice Rose (F); Diamond Ace; Army Penguin**

**Athena  
Hand: 2  
Front Row: Phantom Blaster Overlord/Phantom Blaster Overlord/Gururubau  
Back Row: -/-/-  
Damage: Darkside Trumpeter (F); Doranbau (F); Doranbau (F); Phantom Blaster Dragon; Abyss Healer**

"Stand. And. _Draw_!" Athena roared, as if making a prayer. Judging from the way her face fell, though, she didn't draw a card to come back with. "Damnit... my rearguard Overlord attacks the Vanguard."

Sally twisted her wrist, selecting a card from her hand. "Cosmo Roar defends." she called, barely watching her mechanical tiger being mauled by the armoured dragon. Athena scowled and moved on.

"Next is the Vanguard."

"Sally won't let that hit; she guards with Diamond Ace, a Perfect Guard!" she returned fast, dropping the beaked henshin hero onto her field and discarding a DaiYusha from her hand to use it. Athena groaned, making her checks.

**[Drive Check: Doranbau – No Trigger]**

**[Drive Check: Blaster Javelin – No Trigger]**

"That's too bad." Sally chimed in, too-cheerful, as Diamond Ace took on Overlord's claws in a shower of sparks, defending the attack before fading away.

"Gururubau can't hit..." Athena muttered. "I end."

**Sally  
Hand: 1  
Front Row: DaiYusha/DaiYusha/Grander  
Back Row: Karenroid Daisy/Cosmo Roar/DaiLander  
Damage: Electro-Star Combination Cosmogreat (F); Platinum Ace (F); Justice Rose (F); Diamond Ace; Army Penguin**

**Athena  
Hand: 5  
Front Row: Phantom Blaster Overlord/Phantom Blaster Overlord/Gururubau  
Back Row: -/-/-  
Damage: Darkside Trumpeter (F); Doranbau (F); Doranbau (F); Phantom Blaster Dragon; Abyss Healer**

When Sally drew, she paused for a moment, eyeing her hand. For a moment, the crowd wondered what was going on, until the Topdeck Radio play-by-play enlightened them:

"_Look alive, folks, because at this point, Miss Masters only has two cards left in her deck. If she attacks with DaiYusha, she loses instantly, but do you think she can break down the Dasher's five-card hand with only two attacks?"_

Sally shook her head. "No, Sally can do it. After all, something's different today."

Athena frowned. "What are you talking about?"

"Did you forget? With the new rules, Sally can do this... she Downrides into the Grade 2, Cosmic Rider!" In a flash, DaiYusha almost seemed to fall apart, but as it did, the core parts came together, falling flat into the shape of a futuristic highway cruiser, vibrant red and bristling with guns **[Cosmic Rider – 8000]**. Athena nearly fell over.

"You can ride a lower Grade now!?"

"You weren't paying attention?" Sally returned too-sweetly. "Sally always does, just in case. Attention to detail, after all, is the key to Vanguard. Because of that, she _will_ win this turn."

The dirty-blonde opposite her shook her head. "You will _not_. So you get one extra attack, big deal, it won't finish me."

"Won't it?" Sally smirked. "You haven't been paying attention to where Sally's Triggers are... well, you'll see. For now, she boosts with DaiLander, and attacks your Vanguard with Grander." she nodded as Grander set to his attack **[6000+8000 = 14000]**. Athena grabbed frantically for her guardians.

"Blaster Javelin!"

"As you please. Grander gives Cosmic Rider the boost he needs." Sally continued, her tone slowly becoming merciless as Grander kicked the defending Blaster Javelin into explosive oblivion. "Boosted by Cosmo Roar, Cosmic Rider attacks your Vanguard." **[6000+(8000+2000) = 16000]**

"No, you _don't_! I Perfect Guard with Dark Shield, Mac Lir!" Athena yelled back, getting fiery in the face of the terrifying calm before her. As the black-armoured knight appeared, getting in the way of Cosmic Rider's missile barrage, she groped for her hand, discarding Doranbau almost at random. "Now, let's see you Trigger out of this?"

"You really weren't paying attention..." Sally raised her hand. "Of the two cards remaining in Sally's deck, one card is Guide Dolphin. A _Stand Trigger_."

Athena looked down, at the sole remaining card in her hand, and she paled as it dawned on her. "Oh..."

"That's right. You have a fifty percent chance of losing on the spot." Sally said calmly. "Now... Sally's Drive Check! _Come, Stand Trigger!"_

For a moment, everything stood still... and then the room was lit with a brilliant blue flash.

**[Drive Check: Guide Dolphin – Stand Trigger]**

"_No_!"

"Sally got a Stand Trigger!" The brown-haired girl's smile was anything but pleasant. "She gives all of the effects to Grander!" With a roar, Grander stood up once more, his fists blazing with blue power **[8000+5000 = 13000]**, even as Mac Lir disintegrated under the onslaught of missiles. Athena growled at her.

"No you don't, you're _not_ getting through!"

"Sally will see about that! Grander attacks once more!"

Athena ripped the last card in her hand onto the field. "I guard with Blaster Dark!"

That left it down to the final lane, DaiYusha, against Athena's no-hand and 11000 Vanguard. Sally smiled. "Looks like this is the end."

"No it's _not_." Athena spat. "I'll _do it_. I'll top the Heal Trigger and stop you here."

"DaiYusha. Finish it. **Kaiser Sword**!" With a triumphant shout, the tan robot raised his blade high. Athena snarled, standing firm, even as the sword crashed into Overlord's shoulder. "No Guard! Check for Damage... come on, _Heal Trigger_!"

**[Damage Check: Phantom Blaster Dragon – No Trigger]**

She slumped as her last card hit the Damage Zone, and DaiYusha's blade cut a clean rift across Overlord's chest, making it roar in pain as it all but bled sparks and finally erupted in a huge explosion, briefly filling the store with quickly-fading smoke. As quickly as it did, the field faded, replaced by the initial billboard, this time quickly crossing out Athena's face and letting Sally's own segment overrun the board. With a boom, her WLD counter ticked over to the magic 1/0/0... and the crowd that had gathered in the store went wild. Sally, suddenly stripped of her confidence, blushed under the scrutiny, shying away, and Yuki vaulted into the pit, putting her hand on Sally's and raising it.

"Your winner!"

"_Yep, let's have a hand for her, folks! Her first game off the boat against one of our Dashers and she even defeated Phantom Blaster Overlord, the Crossride, while she's at it! I think Miss James will have a lot to reflect on, don't you? Here's congratulations to her, and to the Horizon shop for hosting such a great event. Go check them out if you're in the area. Now, that's the end of our coverage, so we'll return you to the standard channel, you lucky listeners."_

* * *

As the crowd started to thin, Yuki offered the two girls a pack each. "Here, for you, this one has D-Police... and for you, this one has Shadow Paladins." she smiled between them. Athena, seated on the steps to the pit, numbly took hers, muttering.

"Can't believe I lost with that deck..."

"Don't rely just on the deck." Sally put in. "It won't win games on its own. Sally has to work in tandem with hers, so it's the same for you. She needs her own skill to win."

Athena glanced up and just hung her head again. "Fine..."

As the group centred back around the counter, Holly hopped down, patting Jack's arm. "I'm gonna take off with Athena, she could use the break. That was pretty vicious, considering how she could have won and messed it up."

Jack caught her hand briefly. "Hey, it was fun talking to you. Give me your address and we'll hang out sometime?"

Holly shrugged. "Sure, if you like. Here." she folded her hand over, producing what looked like a business card, but it dissolved as Jack touched it – AR, again, like the letter Laura had handed him earlier in the day, and it added her details to his contacts all of its own accord.

"That's _really_ cool. I mean, it's not as widespread back home."

"Everything's online here, so get used to it." Holly nodded and took off, starting to pep Athena up as they walked away.

In the meanwhile, Laura was patting Sally's head as the girl bubbled excitedly, gushing about the match. "Can't believe Sally won in front of the Eraser Rain...!"

"Well, you did okay." Venera shrugged. She'd returned to shuffling her Weiss Schwarz deck, since the game was already over. "Your deck needs a lot of work, but that's what you're here for."

Sally blushed and saluted to her. "Y-yes ma'am."

"Yes ma'am? I'm not that old." Venera snorted and sat down again.

"You look it, with those super-intense eyes." Laura teased her, getting a glare back that set everybody laughing. Yuki sighed, leaning against the counter as the place simmered down.

"Now this is a nice change from just me and you, Venera. I like a place that's _merry_."


End file.
